


Playing With Fire

by miera



Category: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Cuddling and Snuggling, F/M, Resolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-28
Updated: 2010-10-28
Packaged: 2017-10-12 22:50:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/129973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miera/pseuds/miera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kahlan needs to warm up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing With Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Based on tv series canon. If I have made any book!canon errors I apologize.

Kahlan shivered as she finally stood up from her desk and stretched. Rain had settled in during the evening, and the fire had faded, leaving her office chilled. She hadn't noticed how chilled, though, absorbed in the stacks of paperwork that required her attention. Even with Denee in Aydindril, there was still much business that the Mother Confessor had to see to personally.

But it was growing late, and some internal sense had caused her to stop after finishing one last letter. As she made her way to her private apartments, she spotted a familiar figure approaching.

"I was just coming to pry you from your office," Richard said with an affectionate smile. When she reached for him he responded instantly, holding her tightly even though they were in a fairly public hallway. He'd amused himself during the last couple of days since his arrival, not wanting to distract her from her work, but every evening he seemed to reach a breaking point and come convince her to end her work for the day. That was why she had stopped – she knew that Richard would come find her soon if she didn't.

Now she just rested her chin on his shoulder and leaned into him. She was stiff and sore from sitting hunched over the table with Denee half the day trying to sort out the ongoing problems with rogue bands of D'Harans preying on the villages, and all she wanted now was to be warm and relax with Richard nearby.

His hands chafed her back and then his fingers touched her bare arm. "Kahlan, you're freezing." He drew away, frowning with concern as he touched her face.

She shrugged, trying not to shake. "I didn't realize how cold it had gotten in my office."

As usual, he saw right through her. The man was the seeker of truth, after all. "Come on." He took her hand and tugged her towards her room. Once inside he fed more logs onto the fire while she unlaced her boots. Richard grabbed a blanket from the bed, nudging her to sit before the warmth of the hearth and prop her feet up. As she warmed her hands and feet, he settled down behind her, his legs on either side of hers. He wrapped his arms around her body, urging her to lean back against his chest, and then folded the blanket around them both.

Kahlan shifted around until she could rest her head on his shoulder, sinking into his warmth with a sigh. Richard kissed her temple, his palms lightly brushing up and down her arms. For a long while she just stared at the fire while her toes warmed up, content to be in Richard's arms, listening to the sound of the winter rain outside.

His voice, husky and right in her ear, dragged her from her haze. "If you fall asleep here I will _not_ carry you to the bed," he warned.

She burst out laughing and swatted his arm. "How unchivalrous, Seeker, to leave the Mother Confessor asleep on the cold floor."

He nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing against her ear, while his fingers traced the top edge of her dress. His voice dropped significantly lower. "I bet I could convince you to come to bed on your own power."

Heat that had nothing to do with the fire sizzled through her. True, the first night Richard had spent in Aydindril had been, well, quite the reunion. But it was hard to forget old habits, and being separated for a number of weeks had allowed her to fall back into the reserve that Confessors usually held as a shield against the world. For a moment she jumped before remembering that it was safe, that he wasn't playing with dangerous fire in teasing her like this.

That she could respond in whatever way she desired. The freedom of it struck her all over again, making her dizzy.

Richard nibbled on her ear, his fingers playing gently with the ties of her dress. He didn't begin to undress her, not when she hadn't given permission yet. But the light brushes of his fingers against her skin, the promise in that tantalizing touch, made her ache, and made her bite her lip and push aside the control she had worked her whole life to maintain and let go.

Quaking at her own daring, she stroked her fingertips along his jaw and murmured, "Or we could just stay right here."

Richard pulled back and her stomach lurched nervously. She craned her neck to look at him, half afraid of what she might see on his face.

She should have known better. His expression was a mix of lust and happy eagerness. "Really?"

Kahlan couldn't quite answer him aloud, so instead she guided his hands back to the laces of her dress. Richard leaned down and kissed her hungrily even as he began to tug the ties apart.

It was a little strange, having him do this from behind her, but her body grew wet as she looked down and watched his strong, sure hands pull the ties of her dress loose. She shrugged it off her shoulders when it was open enough, and then he pushed her upright to reach the lacings of her corset. His mouth was roving over her shoulders and her neck, trailing wet kisses along her skin. His teeth scraped the base of her throat as the corset came loose and Richard slid his hands underneath it to touch her breasts. He held her in his hands, his fingers teasing and pinching her nipples, the sensation somehow magnified because she was looking down and watching it happen.

She couldn't sit still. Her hands slid up and down Richard's thighs, along his arms, and her hips shifted restlessly, pressing her body back against the erection she could feel behind her. He grunted, lips moving back to her ear, along her cheek, and then he tugged her hard against him so he could kiss her. The angle was awkward but she threaded a hand through his hair and held him, not wanting the kiss to end.

Her neck began to protest, unfortunately. When she drew away Richard moved, and her head ended up on his shoulder again. He didn't seem to mind, intent on fumbling open her skirt and pushing her skirt and leggings off. She lifted her hips to help him and when she settled back down, he'd somehow slipped his legs underneath hers, so that she found herself in his lap.

He used his legs to nudge her knees wider, and his hands slid across her belly and then over her thighs. His calluses were rough against her skin but his touch was gentle and slow and when she turned her head, she flushed, because Richard was peering over her shoulder, watching his hands on her body, watching her legs spread open and his fingers slide between her thighs.

He caressed and explored and finally rubbed the tender nub between her legs until she was rocking against him, muttering his name under her breath. She had unconsciously braced her feet against the carpet, clutching at whatever part of Richard she could grasp to steady herself.

She was dimly aware that they had fallen backwards. Richard had one arm braced behind him while his other hand continued the sweet torment of his fingers moving inside of her, his thumb teasing her relentlessly, until it became too much. She arched her body into his touch, and down against the bulge in his trousers, until the release barreled through her. She gasped out his name, shaking and overwhelmed.

She slumped against him. Richard's hand splayed against her belly, his fingers wet from her. He pinned her to his body, using his other arm to leverage himself and she realized he was thrusting against her backside frantically for a moment before the climax seized him as well.

They were both still for a moment and then, with a loud groan, Richard fell all the way onto his back, taking Kahlan with him so that she was lying on top of his body. She wobbled and it was only Richard winding his arms around her waist that kept her from sliding to the side in a heap.

He huffed out a laugh against her back, his breath stirring her hair. "We never got my pants off, you know."

She nodded, still trying to get her breath back. She had expected him to stop before she lost control and get himself naked so he could join with her. "That was your fault," she informed him.

"Oh really?"

Kahlan grinned. "You were the impatient one, as usual."

He pinched her side for that and she squealed, wriggling, but she couldn't quite find a center of balance and he had her too precariously balanced to fight. She gave in with a grunt and covered his hands with hers. "I wasn't complaining."

He squeezed her fingers, tickling her ribs. "Neither was I." With a sigh he sat up. "But sleeping on the floor is still not very appealing to me when there's a big, soft, warm bed nearby." He put his hands under her arms and helped her stand, which was good since her legs were still a bit shaky. Once he was on his feet, she turned and pulled him against her. It felt strange to not have touched him like this yet tonight. He held her close and she kissed him lightly, enjoying the lingering warmth in her limbs and the sensation of Richard's body.

"I would've thought the floor would bring back all those lovely memories of sleeping in the forests and caves and all."

He chuckled. "Right. In the cold and the rain, staying on watch in case a D'Haran patrol – or worse – came riding by. No thanks." He took her hands and moved backwards towards the bed. His eyes flickered over her naked body, and even though it was too soon, she flushed a little at the blatant appreciation in his eyes.

Instead she poked his belly. "You, Richard Cypher, have gotten soft."

It was only when the words were out that their other possible meaning occurred to her. Richard mercifully didn't say anything, just _looked_ at her with a smirk while she blushed bright red. Pretending a dignity she clearly no longer possessed, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and said, "I'll get the bed ready, as I suspect you need to clean yourself up first."

Richard, being Richard, didn't let it go that easily. As she bent over to turn the covers down, he smacked her backside lightly. When she jumped and whirled around he grinned at her, from a safe distance. "Keep the bed warm for me."

She grabbed her warm nightgown, muttering under her breath, but unable to keep the smile from her face.


End file.
